Providing your own oil for a main dealer service...

B

Bradders75

Senior member
I know some people liken this to taking your own steak into a restaurant but it's amusing how different dealers view this.

My Zed needed an Inspection 1 and has a FBMWSH. At 13 years old, it was probably time to bung it into the Indy network but thought I'd have a haggle with my local dealer (Soper of Lincoln) out of interest. I noticed they charged me nearly £120 for oil at the last service ( :o ) so I asked them for a quote if I provided my own. "We don't encourage that sir".....I bet you bloody don't! However, Marshalls BMW Grimsby were more than happy to have my business once I'd bought the oil online for £60. Including a discount, the total service cost came in at just £20 more than the cheapest Indy. Interesting how Sopers would rather cut off their nose to spite their face than have their workshop labour hours fully booked.
 
That tells me there is a massive mark up on their oil then - as if this wasn't already obvious from their £120 previous - shocking price really
 
I might not like the prices dealers charge, but that doesn't mean I don't understand them. Where do you think the profit comes from to pay for the 'free' coffee, 'free' wifi, 'free' valet, etc?

I'm surprised that garages haven't already started charging a 'partage' or 'oilage' fee for customers bringing in their own parts/oil - just like some restaurants/hotels do with wine/champagne corkage fee.

How much would you consider a 'fair' hourly rate for a dealer with 50 staff and huge premises to fund, an indy with 5 staff and a unit on an industrial estate, or a one-man-band working from a rural location with a workshop in outbuilding?
 
mmm-five said:
I might not like the prices dealers charge, but that doesn't mean I don't understand them. Where do you think the profit comes from to pay for the 'free' coffee, 'free' wifi, 'free' valet, etc?

I'm surprised that garages haven't already started charging a 'partage' or 'oilage' fee for customers bringing in their own parts/oil - just like some restaurants/hotels do with wine/champagne corkage fee.

How much would you consider a 'fair' hourly rate for a dealer with 50 staff and huge premises to fund, an indy with 5 staff and a unit on an industrial estate, or a one-man-band working from a rural location with a workshop in outbuilding?
Click to expand...

Thanks for the patronising reply, I think I can cope with the concept of overheads. I'm just puzzled how Grimsby BMW can cope but not Lincoln. Perhaps they use an inferior brand of coffee?
 
Personally labour costs are shockingly high and should be lower but that seems to be the world we live in today.
What is hourly rates these days at a main dealer? Upwards of £70 +vat?
You work all day to pay someone to work on your car for an hour.
The labour costs to service your car should not subsidise every other worker in the building.
What would you rather have? A free tea or coffee or cheaper hourly rates?
I would go for the hourly rate.
 
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